President Donald Trump Holds Joint Press Conference With Norwegian Leader | NBC News
Mave treacherous. 'is courageous. Missions, of exploration. Centuries. Later during the Second World War brave, Norwegians. Escaped occupied, Norway, to. Fight alongside of Americans. And the Allies, including. On the beaches of Normandy, in 1944. Our. Friendship, bills on this proud and noble history and is. Rooted in our commitment, to confront, the problems, of today. With. That same confidence and, that same. Determination. And I think it might even be greater, determination. We've. Just concluded a series of discussions. On how we can work together to promote a future, of security. And, world, prosperity. And. Also, a great, future for our respective. Countries. Working, together the. Prime Minister and I are both committed, to strengthening the, NATO, alliance Norway. Has made contributions, to, the nato-led, mission. In Afghanistan. Where we are doing very. Well it's been turned around as, well. As to NATO and NATO's. Enhanced, forward presence in Poland, and the, Baltic, States. I want to thank the Prime Minister and, the, Norwegian. People for their participation, in, these efforts, I, encouraged. Norway, to follow through, on its commitment to, meet the 2 percent of GDP, defense. Spending obligation. So. That together we can, confront, the full range of threats facing our nations, and. I believe Norway will get there quite soon. Norway. Is also, a vital and valued member of the campaign, to, defeat Isis, because of us Isis. Has now lost almost 100. Percent, of the, territory had previously, held not. So long ago in. Iraq and in Syria we're. Grateful for Norway's, civilian, assistance efforts and. Generous. Humanitarian. Aid to the region they've been out there and really doing. An incredible job I'm. Also pleased, to share, that. The economic, ties between our, two countries are robust, and growing, the, United States currently, has a trade, surplus. Which. Is shocking. You. Believe I'm saying we have a surplus. There. Aren't too many you're gonna have to go back and check your people. But. We're getting more and more surpluses, all over the world I will say that I told, that to the prime minister. But. Our two countries are robust, and growing the, United States currently has a, large. Contingent. Of products that we sell and back. And forth with Norway, and one of the big products, of course is our military equipment, I want, to thank the people of Norway for, their, commitment. To fair and reciprocal. Trade. A word that you're gonna hear more and more coming from this administration, and it should have come from other, administrations. Before, me reciprocal. Trade, which. Benefits us all free nations are stronger, when the, trade. Is fair and. Trade, has not been overly fair with the United States but we've had, that great relationship. With. No way but remember the word reciprocal. In, November, we started, delivering the first f50, twos and. F-35. Fighter jets. We. Have a total, of 52 and, they've. Delivered a number of them already a little ahead of schedule it's. A ten billion dollar order. Norway. Also invest, about one-third of its sovereign wealth front in. American, businesses. Supporting. Hundreds, of thousands, of American. Jobs they're, very big investors, in our stock market and therefore. The Prime Minister thanked me very much because. Their market is you. Have done very well with your investments, in the United States right. Thank you, you. Always commitment. To mutually. Beneficial, Commerce is a model for other nations and it really is amazing, country, I look, forward to forging, an even stronger economic, relationship, between.
The United, States and Norway growing, this record of success, with. Even more investment, and more jobs and more job creation, we're. Also proud of our increasing, cooperation on health and, health. Security, and. Also on bio defense, it's very important, to both countries. I commend. Prime Minister, Solberg's, efforts, to promote vaccine. Development, and disease. Prevention together, we can save and improve many. Many lives we're working. Very hard and in, some, cases together, on. Cures. To many. Ailments. Prime. Minister Selberg I want to thank you again for joining us at the White House for decades, Norwegians. And Americans, have. Stood side-by-side against. Common threats to our freedom our. Security. And to our values, together. We have fought against fascism and, communism and, terrorism and we, face threats. Always. Together. Were. Partners, our. Partnership, has advanced, peace cooperation. And respect for, human dignity all, around the world today. We remain united in our efforts, to confront shared, challenges. To seize new opportunities and. To build, a bright and beautiful future. For our countries. Our, people. Our, children and, I. Think we're doing very well, working. Together and, we have a newfound, friendship, so. I want to thank, you and God bless you, thank you very much. Thank. You mr. president and thank you for your generous welcome, it's. A great honor to be here at the White House the, relationship, between our two countries is. Strong and it has very, deep president. Trump concluding, his opening, remarks here in this joint, press availability with, prime minister Solberg. Of norway. Typically. What's going to happen there will be a couple of questions, from the US. Media and members of foreign, media traveling. With the prime minister and, we'll go back as soon as the question, and answer period starts, there is a lot to talk about including. The the president's. Evolving stance on immigration reform, also, a judge moving to block the. Administration, from adding the daca program the, dreamer program. That. Prevented. Some, 800,000. People. Who were brought in this country, illegally, as, as. Children. From being forced to leave so we're going to watch. For questions on that let's go to NBC's, Andrea Mitchell right, now and the, president sewed a little bit of confusion on, his immigration stands, yesterday, he. Certainly did he was to. Be generous, all over the place signaling, compromise, and saying. When asked, by Dianne Feinstein, at that meeting would, he agree, to what, she called a clean dhaka bill as standalone, dhaka bill he said yes of course the. Majority. Leader on the house side Kevin, McCarthy had to intervene and say no, mr., president I think you mean with, border, security with, the wall he, then signaled, that he would be willing to accept a, different kind of wall it wouldn't necessarily have to be as many thousands, of miles it could include virtual, or technical. Components.
That, Start, sparked an immediate, outcry, you saw people on Twitter immediately. From. His base arguing. That he was somehow. And. He did seem to be sounding like he was compromising, on immigration on a bedrock, principle so. They backtracked, on Twitter last night again, today but as we sit, here tonight today, rather there. Are bipartisan. Meetings on the hill right now following, up on what is possible and they're going to try to craft a bipartisan, agreement. That will fit within the framework of what they think the president wants to say and he said he would sign anything they sent him but, that remains. To be seen well this being all affected, by this judge's, order, stopping. The administration, banning the program well. It could be the reverse it could be if they come up with a legislative agreement, anything, that happens in the courts could be moot if there, is protection for. The the. So-called dreamers for, those young people the judge's order that came out of California, the Ninth Circuit which is traditionally, a little bit more liberal than some of the other circuits around the country. Said. That they had, to halt any kind. Of. Suppression. Of applications. Renewal, applications, by dreamers, all of this we should point out started. When the president suspended, an Obama legacy program, so it was the President himself who, precipitated. This deadline, and the, deadline that the administration. Has been referring to is March but, there has been a bipartisan, call by former Homeland Security secretaries, including Mike shirt off the bush secretary. Saying, that the real deadline the effect of death is a lot sooner because it takes homeland so, long to work up the paperwork. That if they're going to prevent. Deportations. In March they've got to start at the end of January and Andrea is we await, the president and Prime Minister are taking questions here from this joint. Availability, I want to ask you about North. Korea, obviously South, Korea and North Korea have, had some progress in their talks the president, has weighed, into the possibility, of eventually, holding talks with the North Koreans as he has he broken any new ground there well. He did and again, we, never know from one day to the next, based, on Twitter based on who's spoken to him last because there does seem to be a lot of volatility, and what he says about North, Korea but for, now at least as we go to questions he, seems to be talking about diplomacy, all right let's take you back to the White House where they are now taking questions. Meeting. With lawmakers you, said that you would be open to signing just, about any immigration, deal, that that bipartisan. Group of lawmakers sent. To you right would you be willing to sign an immigration, deal that ultimately, does not include funding for the border wall or would that be a rent for you know.
The. Wall we need the wall for security, we, need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping, the drugs from pouring in I, would, imagine that the people in the room both Democrat, and Republican, I really. Believe they're gonna come up with a solution to the daka problem, which has been going on for a long time and, maybe, beyond, that immigration, as a whole but. Any solution, has to include the wall because, without the wall it, all doesn't work you. Could look at other, instances, look at what happened in Israel they put up the wall they say let's solve the very, major problem we. Need the wall we have to have the wall for security, purposes, security, is number one and. So. The answer is have. To have the wall thank you and, please. Can. I call an honest- from, the, norwegian broadcasting. Mr.. President, Prime Minister, recently. An, American, American. General, Robert Naylor told. His Marines based, in Norway. There's. A war coming the. Biggest, fight. Mr.. President, how imminent, is that big war and where. Will it take place, the. Big war you're saying what say. It was an. American General. Robert Naylor he visited, the Norwegian. American. Marines based in Norway and he said if there's a war coming a big, ass fight. When. Would that work maybe, he knows something that I don't know okay. We. Have a very very powerful military, we're getting more powerful by the month, by the day we're. Ordering a lot of the equipment that you're. Ordering we're ordering it but in larger amounts to. Put it mildly we, are building up our military to a point that we've never been before, we're. Also we, were very much. Weakened. Over the last long, period, of time but, not, with me, no, I don't expect that I think we're going to have because. Of strength peace. Through, strength I think we're gonna have a long period of peace I hope we do we. Have certainly problems, with North Korea but a lot of good talks are going on right now a lot of good. Energy I see a lot of good energy I like it very much what I'm seeing I just spoke this, morning with the as you know with the president, president moon, of. South Korea he. Had some really, great meetings, his representatives. Had a great great meeting and, I. Had some very good feedback from that so hopefully a lot of good things are gonna work out no I think that we, will have peace, through strength our, military will be stronger than it ever was in a very short period of time and. That's. My opinion that's not the generals opinion, but I think. My opinion counts more right now. The. Reason why we are so happy that we have used Marines training, in Norway is that that's part, of the deterrence strategy that.
Makes Sure that we don't have a war in the future. Why. Should for the prime minister. Said. That the investigation into. Russian, collusion, makes our country quote look very bad and he, said this morning that the, world is laughing at our stupidity, so my, question to you is are, you laughing at the Russian investigation, I think. I think. That, it's, up to every political system, in countries to scrutinize, and discuss, their, own political agenda, in their countries, and I respect, that very much and that this is an issue for American, politics, I just like to say that it has impacted. Also, in Europe I think all European, countries have, who have had elections this year has been looking, into will, there be any type of tampering others we concluded after our election, that we could not find any proof of any I try to to to, put, an emphasis on that from from countries outside and. Outside no way I think it was a very. Norwegian, election within the region participants. Will. Say this there, is collusion, but. It's really with the. Democrats, and the Russians far more than it is with the Republicans. And the Russians so the witch hunt continues. John. Thank. You mr. president I also have a question for the prime minister but if I could address the president, first sir brought up the Russia investigation. Your. Legal team sources, have told us believes, that in the next few weeks the, Special Counsel Robert, Muller will ask for some sort of an interview with you your, legal team believes as part of wrapping up his investigation. Are. You open, to meeting with him would you be willing to meet with him without, condition. Or would you demand that. A strict set of parameters, be placed around any encounter, between you and the special counsel well again John, there has been no collusion, between the, Trump. Campaign and Russians. Or Trump and. Russians no collusion. When I watch you interviewing, all the people leaving their committees, I mean the Democrats are all running for office and they're trying to say this said but bottom line they all say there's no collusion and there, is no collision and when. You talk about interviews. Hillary. Clinton had an interview where, she wasn't sworn in she, wasn't given the oath that. In take notes they. Didn't record and it, was done on the fourth of July weekend. That's. Perhaps. Ridiculous. And a lot of people looked upon that as being a. Very, serious, breach and it really was but, again I'll speak to attorneys.
I Can, only say this there was absolutely, no collusion everybody, knows that every committee I've been in, office now for 11 months for 11 months they've had this phony cloud. Over. This administration. Over our government, and it has hurt our government, it does hurt our government, it's, a Democrat, hoax that. Was brought up as an, excuse, for losing an election that frankly. The Democrats, should have won because they have such a tremendous advantage. In the electoral college so, it was brought up for that reason but, it has been determined that there is no collusion and by virtually. Everybody so. We'll see what happens, would. You be open to we'll see what happens I mean certainly I'll see what happens but when, they have no collusion and nobody's found any collusion at, any level it. Seems unlikely that you'd even have, an interview, and. Madam, Prime Minister. Norway shares a small but strategic, border with. Russia president, Trump's position, has been it's better to try to work with Vladimir. Putin, impossible. Than to work against it. Well. I think Russia is an important player in the international world and I don't think you can not. Work with and talk to but, on the other hand it's important, to say that we. Have we have a line with all the sanctions as, the European Union has done and and as a member connected, both in NATO and and. Interconnected. To that and we have also suffered. Some economic. Difficulties. In some areas and no way based on those sanctions. But, on. The other hand we have a very good. Relationship, with Russia over that. Border area where, we do have very much free movement of people, special. Zone of people moving for to-and-fro we, have. Very. Large cooperation. On sustainable. Fisheries in this area it's the biggest cod area, in the world but a sustainable, resource and we, do patrol, it we do work together so. We think it's important to do two things at the same time yes the. International, law is firm and clear there was a break, of that to the annexation, of Crimea, and the situation. In Ukraine and we still stand by although unless with that but, at the same time as a neighboring, country we do day-to-day, work on, things that we have to solve for the people and the economic activity, that is in that area and, which. Is a fragile area. For the. Head. To the answer I think it is much better to work with Russia, it's. Very much better, having, to do with North Korea where we currently have a problem that should have never been my problem this should have been a problem solved, many, years ago when it was much less dangerous but it was given to me along, with a big mess of other things but. I will say this I am for massive. Oil and. Gas and everything else and a lot of energy Putin. Can't love that I am, for with the strongest, military that, the United States ever had, Putin, can't love that but. Hillary. Was not for a strong military and, Hillary my. It was, for windmills, and. She was for other types of energy that don't have the same, capacities. At this moment certainly so. I just want to say that it's a lot better to work with other countries while working with China or North Korea we're working with various other, countries and I think we're doing very well we had a great talk as you. Know and as you reported, we had a great talk this. Morning with president moon and I think that a, lot, of good things are happening and. We're gonna see what happens but, working. With other countries whether it's Russia or China or, India or any of the countries that. Surround. This world and. Encompass, this world that's a good thing John that's not a bad thing that's a very good thing okay okay.
Mr.. President Prime Minister. Normally. Strongly, supports. That. You have decided to leave, it. What could persuade, you to remain. And, what. Kind of common ground did, you find in your talks today on this topic. Well. It wasn't a major topic I must tell you we, talked about other things including, mostly trade but I, will. Say that the Paris, agreement has drawn and as we, signed was, very unfair to the United States it put great penalties, on us it. Made it very difficult for, us to deal. In terms of business, it took away a lot of our asset. Values, we are a country. Rich in gas, and, coal and oil and lots of other things and there was a tremendous penalty. For using it it. Hurt our businesses, according, to some estimates we, would have had a closed businesses, in order to qualify by 2025. Whereas. As an example China by. 2030, they don't kick in until 2030. Russia. Someplace, in the mid 1990s. That. Was their standard, and that was never a good standard because that was a dirty. Standard. For the, environment, it. Treated, the United States very unfairly, and frankly. It's, an agreement that I have no problem with but I had a problem with the agreement that they signed because as usual, they made a bad. So. We could conceivably go back in but I say this we are very strong in the environment, I feel very strongly about the. Environment, our EPA, and our EPA, commissioners. Are very very. Powerful. In the sense that they want to have clean water clean. Air but. We also want businesses, that can compete and the, Paris Accord, really. Would have taken away our competitive. Edge and we're not gonna let that happen I'm not gonna let it happen. As. We talked about during this. Because. We have strict regulations, on to. Reach our Paris. Targets. That. Means that we have very, strong policies, for environmentally, friendly and climate friendly technologies. In which which is a small part of why the America, why the United States no have a surplus in the economy towards no way so, you, never miss up on a good opportunity with, good environmental. Standards. Assets. Of Norway as a thing called water and they, have tremendous, hydropower. Tremendous. In fact most of your energy your, electricity is produced by. Hydro, I wish, we'd do some of that but, hydropower. Is fantastic. And it's a great asset that you have thank. You very much great honor thank you. President. Trump listening to.
2018-01-13 06:18
